Critchlow, Cyril, 1923 - 2008
Dates
- Existence: 1923 - 2008
Biography
Cyril Critchlow was born in Staffordshire in 1923 and moved to Blackpool with his family as a teenager in the late 1930s.
Cyril developed an interest in magic from an early age and became known as a magician during the Second World War under the stage name of Reval.
Throughout his life in Blackpool, Critchlow became an avid collector of ephemera relating to Blackpool’s entertainment heritage from the 1860s to the present day and wrote several books on the subject. He was also a passionate heritage campaigner and in 1977 he fulfilled a lifelong dream when he opened The Museum of Entertainment on Coronation Street, where he displayed his personal collection of entertainment ephemera.
Critchlow presented magic shows and gave talks on Blackpool history of entertainment at the ‘Witches Café’ which he also ran. In 1980 he became the proprietor of a small theatre of variety and he even worked as a spotlight operator at the Winter Gardens Theatre for a while. In the mid-sixties he was elected town Councillor. Additionally, he was a founder member of the Blackpool Magicians’ club, becoming at one point President and Honorary Life Member. He was a member of Equity, The Magic Circle, Blackpool Heritage Forum and he was President of the North West Music Hall and Variety Friendship Society.
He was still entertaining with his magic act in his 80s performing as Wizardo, Harry Potter's grandfather and took part in Sheffield University’s Cabinet of Curiosities held at Blackpool in 2008.
Cyril Critchlow died after a short illness in 2008.
Found in 620 Collections and/or Records:
The Wonderful Kellar Poster, 1888 original, c1900 - 1999
Boston Museum. Black and white illustration.
Theatre Royal Poster, Week commencing Monday 30 May 1983
Nottingham. Paddington Bear. Contains colour illustration.
Theatre Royal Poster, Christmas and New Year season commencing Monday 27 December 1971
Norwich. Frank Ifield in Sinbad the sailor. Contains colour illustration and photograph.
Theatre Royal Poster, Commencing Tuesday 1 May c1979
Nottingham. My Fair Lady, Tony Britton and others. Contains colour illustration.
Theatre Royal Poster, c1930 - 1939
Theatre Royal Poster, c1986
Nottingham. The Secret Diary of Adrian Mole. Poster of photograph on mount board.
Theatre Royal Poster, Week commencing 8 February 1971
St Helen’s. The Good Young Man, Ken Platt, Gilliam McCann, Nigel Humphreys. Contains photographs. Printed by Echo Press Ltd., Loughborough.
Theatre Royal Poster, Week commencing 8 February 1971
St Helen’s. The Good Young Man, Ken Platt, Gilliam McCann, Nigel Humphreys. Contains photographs. Printed by Echo Press Ltd., Loughborough.
Theatre Royal Poster, Week commencing 23 April 1984
Nottingham. Children of a Lesser God. Contains photograph.
Theatre Royal Poster, c1980 - 1989
Nottingham. Pride and Prejudice, Ian Carmichael. Contains illustrations. Printed by Partners Press Ltd., Newerk.
Theatre Royal Programme, October 1898
Haymarket. The Tempter a new play in four acts by Henry Arthur Jones. Printed by G Harmsworth & Co., Hart Street Covent Garden, 4p.p.
Theatre Royal Programme, 1953
Drury Lane. Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s The King and I, Martin Benson, Muriel Smith and others Contains illustrations and photographs of the acts, 16p.p.
Ticket, 30 May 1941
North Pier, Blackpool. Lawrence Wright’s Songs of the Season. Allows two special seats for the opening night. Blue type on white card, 2p.p.
Tom Duffy and Son's Circus Poster, c1980 - 1989
Gillabey Rock, Ireland. Colour illustration of Apache warrior.
Tony Hopkins Presents Circus Fiesta Poster, c1980 - 1989
Tony Hopkins presents Circus Fiesta. Parranporth, Cornwall. Colour illustration of tiger.
Tower Circus, Palace, Grand Theatre and New Opera House Programme, May 1940
Blackpool. Combined programme for the venues, containing illustrations of the acts. Printed by Ayre & Senior Printers, Carter Street, Blackpool, 8p.p.
Tower Palace and Grand Programme, 11 July 1927
Blackpool. Contains illustrations on the cover and photographs of the acts inside. Printed by Ayre & Senior Printers, Carter Street, Blackpool Variety, 39p.p.
Tower Palace and Grand Programme, May 1937
Blackpool. Colour illustrated cover in red and gold. Printed in England, 44p.p.
Trade and Advertising Material, c1900 - 1999
Advertising material for variety and magic performers including magicians, ventriloquists, clowns and hypnotist such as Dan Leano, Professor Lipka, Douglas Francis, Barry Sinclair and others.
Trade Certificate, c1944
Trade Certificate for John Sanger, 8p.p.
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- Archival Object 619
- Collection 1
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- Acrobats 15
- Aerialists 3
- Animal trainers 3
- Animals 40
- Business 52
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- Clowning 37
- Comedians 49
- Dance 36
- Equestrians 4
- Fairs 4
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- Family 9
- Fire eating 3
- Freak shows 3
- Gymnasts 1
- Jugglers 8
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- Menageries 2
- Mimes 3
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- Motion pictures 8
- Music 3
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- Musical performances 42
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- Performers 357
- Pierrot 9
- Puppets 24
- Showman 26
- Showwoman 12
- Singing 29
- Skating 3
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- Variety 267
- Ventriloquists 9
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